Washing machine appliances generally include a tub for containing wash fluid, e.g., water and detergent, bleach and/or other wash additives. A basket is rotatably mounted within the tub and defines a wash chamber for receipt of articles for washing. During operation of such washing machine appliances, wash fluid is directed into the tub and onto articles within the wash chamber of the basket. The basket or an agitation element can rotate at various speeds to agitate articles within the wash chamber in the wash fluid, to wring wash fluid from articles within the wash chamber, etc.
Frequently, washing machine appliance users desire to wash articles therein that have stains on the articles. Many washing machine appliances include treatment options for such stains. Selection of a treatment option typically causes the washing machine appliance to operate at settings that are desirable for removal of the stain.
However, currently known washing machine appliances which provide such treatment options have limitations. For example, when a treatment option is selected, such selection may cause the washing machine appliance to operate using water at a certain temperature for stain removal. However, the user may not desire to operate the washing machine appliance with water at this temperature, and may rather desire hotter or colder water for such washing. The water temperature associated with a selected treatment option may conflict with the desired water temperature, such that selection of a treatment option may override the user's ability to select a desired water temperature.
Some washing machine appliances utilized a separate pre-wash cycle for stain removal. However, use of such a cycle requires the addition of a pre-wash additive tray such that detergent, etc. can be added to the water for the pre-wash cycle and separately added for the regular wash cycle.
Accordingly, improved washing machine appliances and methods for operating washing machine appliances are desired. In particular, washing machine appliances and associated methods which allow users to select a treatment option independently of a desired wash temperature, and which operate based on such selections, would be advantageous.